Orthopedic shoe



Patented June 24, `1930 UNITED STATES-PTENT orner i WILLIAM M. scHoLL, or CHICAGO; ILLINOIS' onriornnrcsrron Y App'mafion meal 1115111131925. serial nd. 20,049.

The invention relates l.to improvements in shoes and has especial reference in their natural condition.

to shoes for reforming the feet, or for maintaining them One of the objects of the invention is to v improve shoes to conform more closely with the natural shape of the human foot and to restore the foot to its natural form.

ing longitudinally of the shoe,

and to provide with the inner sole of the shoe a resilient heel receiving cushion or socket to support the heel of the foot.

Another object is to provide a forward cushion connected with the front end of the steel shank and preferably arranged between said shank and the inner lining of the shoe to support the anterior metatarsal arch of the foot.

A further object is to provide in a shoe a stifening shank in the rear of the phalanfes extendino' back to the heel and a cushion pad overlying the front rear of the end of the shank and extending under the rear articulation of the phalanges to yieldingly support the anterior metatarsal arch of the foot.

Other objects, advantages and benefits of the invention will become apparent toa person skilled inthe art from a consideration of the following description, in conjunction in when taken with the drawings, where- Figure v1 is a bottom plan view of a shoe with the outer sole removed, showing the shank in the shoe.

position under the inner sole of Figure 2 is a longitudinal section ofthe on taken on on `taken on vmade,

In all the views the same reference charp acters refer to similar parts. f

:Reference numeral 10 is the outer sole of the shoe and 11 yis the inner sole of the shoe. Between these soles the shank 12 is 55 contained. The upper or vamp 13 of the shoe is attached to the outer and inner sole in the usual manner.

The shank12extends toa point 15 at the rear ofthe heel 16 of the shoe. The 60 shank is provided with a heel receiving re'- cess 17 to provide a socket with the inner sole 11 as at 18, thereby making a receptacle or `recess for the heel of the wearer. The shank 12 is provided with a rib 19 to stiffen it in its median portion. The front end of the shankterminates as at 20 and to the front end of theshank'is secured a resilient yielding pad 21 ofsoft rubber, felt or the like, secured to the'shank by rivets 22. These rivets extend through the inner sole, the pad, and the shank and' hold the parts together. The pad is oval in contour and is intended to support the Vanteriormetatarsal arch of the foot. The shank 12 is upn wardly curved to underlie the longitudinal arch of the foot and does not `extend into the region of the shoe underlying that portion of the footwhich is bent in the act of walking. The rear end of the shank 12 may also be fastenedV to the inner sole by rivets By building the shank and pad into the shoe structure and securing it-to the `inner solek and other partsV of the shoe there is no liability of its l becoming displaced in use and shiftingginto undesirable positions. The shoe is intended for persons who have chronic cases of fallen metatarsal arches, to bek worn for protracted periods of time.

The steelshank described, extends substantially from the rear portion of the heel to a point near the articulationof the phalanges of the. footand secured to the front end thereof is a metatarsal arch support, yielding Vin character and placed in proper position with relation to theV shank and to other portions of the shoe. I am-aware that many may be varied through awide range without departing from the principles of this invention and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the claims.

Having vdescribed my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In a shoe, a built in stiffening shank extending from the rear ofthe heel to the front end of the longitudinal arch'and having a heel receiving recess in the heel portion to provide a socket for the heel ofthe wearer; a yielding pad at the front end of the shank underlying the anterior metatarsals of the foot; and an inner sole overlying the shank and pad and having a heel ref ceiving recess conforming to the shank recess. 2. A shoe having an'inner and an outer sole; a built in stifening shank extending from the rear of the heel substantially to the front end of the longitudinal arch of the foot and having a recess to receive the heel; and a yielding cushion or padvat the front end of said shank and extending under the ball of the foot, 'said shank and pad being arranged between the aforesaid soles of the shoe.

3. A shoe having a built in stiffening shank underlyingY the longitudinal arch and the heel of the foot, a cushion or pad at the front end of said shank and underlying the transverse arch of the foot; and a Vcovering for said shank and pad, said shank, pad and covering being riveted together.`

4. A shoe having a bottom comprising an inner sole and an outer sole, a metallic shank arranged between said soles and extending from the rear ofthe `heel to the front end vof the longitudinal arch, said shank being slightly curved transversely intermediate its ends and having a heel receiving recess in the rear end thereof, and a pad of yieldable material secured to the top of the front end of said shank with a portion thereof extending beyond the front end of the shank, which pad is substantially wedge-like in longitudinal vertical section,l said pad being of suicient thickness to space the inner sole from the outer sole in a manner to form a straighter angle in the inner sole than that in the outer sole immediately belon the same. Y

5. A shoe having a bottom comprising an inner sole and an outer sole, a metallic shank arranged between said soles and extending from the rear of the heel tothe front of the longitudinal arch, said shank being slightly curved transversely intermediate its ends,

vwith a portion thereof extending beyond the front end of the shank, said pad being covering the shank and pad, and fastening means passing through the shank, pad and inner' sole.

7. A,k shoe having .an inner sole, an outer sole having an abutment back of the breast line,va`nd a metal shank positioned between the inner and outerisoles arranged under the longitudinal arch and heel of the wearer the said shank having a depressed portion forming a heel-receiving recess into which the inner sole will be depressed by the wear--V ers heel, the forward wall .of the depressed portion forming an abutment for engagement with the said abutment of the outer sole.

have hereunto llU 

